There's no bad blood between Rockstar Games and Remedy Entertainment as the two collaborate on Max Payne remakes.
It looks like the internet was, once again, caught making much ado about nothing.
Earlier this week, we reported on a potential legal issue that was brewing between Remedy Entertainment and Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games.
Now, Remedy has released a statement literally saying that there's "nothing to see here."
Before you say this is a "there is no war in Ba Sing Se" situation, Remedy's communications manager, Thomas Puha, clarified exactly what happened.
In a statement sent to several outlets, Puha confirmed that the legal filing by Take-Two was merely a formal step in the process. The two companies have continued to maintain a cooperative relationship throughout proceedings and will continue to do so going forward. Puha made sure to emphasize that the dispute was a minor issue that had already been settled in late 2023 — it's just that the internet only recently caught wind of it.
There is nothing to see here – this was a discussion between our teams that was resolved entirely and amicably late last year. Unfortunately, it took a little longer to complete than we had hoped due to some holiday scheduling. The legal filing was simply an initial formality, and Remedy and Take-Two continue to work together in partnership.
The dispute centered around Remedy's new logo, which Take-Two claimed might be confused for one of its trademarks. The logo in question, which features a stylized "R", was first introduced by Remedy in 2023 as part of a company-wide rebranding effort. Take-Two raised an objection, suggesting a potential public confusion between Remedy's logo and the logo of Rockstar Games.
The resolution of this legal matter is significant, especially considering Remedy's ongoing collaboration with Rockstar. The two are currently working together on remakes of Max Payne and Max Payne 2, with Rockstar funding the whole project. The partnership highlights the professional working relationship between the two studios, doing away with the initial concerns raised by the logo dispute.
One of its earliest and most notable hits, Remedy sold the rights to the Max Payne brand to Take-Two in 2002 for $34 million, staying on board to make at least two more sequels before moving on to do other things. The upcoming remakes, which will use Remedy's Northlight game engine, are anticipated by fans and are expected to be released as a single package on Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Remedy's swift and transparent communication regarding the issue has played down concerns. The studio's clarification highlights the often-complex nature of intellectual property rights in the gaming industry, where brand recognition and logo play significant roles. The resolution maintains the positive relationship between the two companies, allowing them to focus on their collaborative projects.
